New York's Most Popular Filming Locations

In some ways, New York is a city that’s made by movies. Even if you’ve never been to NYC you have some idea of what it looks like, and that’s probably because it’s the setting for countless films and television shows. You can easily spend entire trips in NYC following in the footsteps of your favorite movie and TV characters, and you may even catch something in the process of being filmed. So, for all the film and television buffs out there, here’s an intro to some of the most popular filming locations in NYC.

Silvercup Studios

Located in Long Island City, Queens, Silvercup Studios is the largest production studio in NYC. It’s been in operation since 1983, and was the primary shooting location for Gossip Girl, The Sopranos, and ABC’s Hope and Faith. It’s been also been used for parts of 30 Rock, The Devil Wears Prada, Sex and the City, Ugly Betty, Mad Men, and more.

Kaufman Astoria Studios

This studio is in Astoria, Queens, and it has the only backlot (an outdoor area for filming outdoors scenes) in the city. The studio was built in 1920, and in its early years saw Paramount Studio films before Paramount relocated to California. It has since been named a National Historic Landmark and added to the National Register of Historic Places, and TV shows such as The Cosby Show, Law and Order, and Judge Judy have been shot here.

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Tiffany & Co.

Everyone knows the opening sequence of Breakfast at Tiffany’s – we can all picture Audrey Hepburn in her glamorous little black dress and oversized sunglasses staring longingly into the window at Tiffany’s. The scene was filmed outside Tiffany’s in Midtown, Manhattan, and today, Tiffany’s is still located at the corner of 57th Street and 5th Avenue, so you too can gaze at the jewels in its window display.

Katz’s Delicatessen

Perhaps one of the most iconic New York scenes in film and TV history is the scene shot in Katz’s Delicatessen on Manhattan’s Lower East Side in When Harry Met Sally. Everyone remembers this scene, as it’s when Sally (Meg Ryan) fakes an orgasm at the table. The deli is now one of the most popular restaurants in the city for both tourists and locals, and there’s a sign above the table where Harry and Sally sat marking where the scene took place.

Bethesda Terrace

The Bethesda Terrace in Central Park is one of the most recognized spots in the city, and that’s partly due to its huge amount of screen time. It’s the backdrop for a scene in the film One FineDay, in which George Clooney and Michelle Pfeiffer play in the fountain with their kids, and it makes appearances in Gossip Girl, When In Rome, Enchanted, Home Alone 2, and more. It’s now a hugely popular location for weddings or simply for photo ops.

New York Public Library

Another iconic New York landmark, the New York Public Library has been the backdrop for countless movie scenes. You can see it in Spider Man, The Day After Tomorrow, and even in the 1978 version of The Wizard of Oz. It’s a structure that’s just as beautiful as it is functional, so it’s worth a visit no matter your interests.